Weather Cancels School, Wreaks Havoc on Oregon

GENERAL NEWS 

By Ethan Lindsey

Bend, OR  January 8, 2008 2:04 p.m.

Two separate avalanches closed major state highways in central Oregon Tuesday. Snow closed U.S. 20, west of Sisters, and highway 62, near Crater Lake.

U.S. 20 has since reopened, still more than a foot of snow fell overnight in many parts of the state. Central Oregon correspondent Ethan Lindsey reports.

The crazy amount of snow isolated and closed Crater Lake to the outside for a time.

And the mountain passes between the Willamette Valley and the eastern side were almost completely shut off.

First, snow slides closed the tunnel on Oregon 58 between Eugene and La Pine.

And multiple avalanches on U.S. 20 trapped several cars and closed the connection between Salem and Bend. No one was reported hurt.

Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Peter Murphy says for the folks in tourism industry, like at Mt. Bachelor Ski resort, it's good news.

Peter Murphy: “As it turns out, I was at Bachelor and the people up there are very pleased. But the downside is we have innumerable trucks on the side of the road, cars that are spinning out, two avalanches on Highway 20 alone. And we just have to wait it out.”

The weather did more than just freeze the state's transportation system.

The Crook County School District canceled school.

And Governor Ted Kulongoski declared a state of emergency in Umatilla County over the weekend because of storm damage there.

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© 2008 OPB